The Portland daily press., 1887-01-24
DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH.
Facts Which do not Show That the
Poor are Growing Poorer.
Boston Journal.


In response to a call from Senator George
of Mississippi, the Chief Of the National Bu-
reau of Statistics requested Mr.. Edward
Atkinson Of this city to furnish answers to
the following questions
First-How is wealth distributed in this country
among the people-who are the classes who pos
seSS it?
Second~-with respect to the increased value Of
agricultural lands-has this come mainly through
the increase of population or from the intrinsic
value OF land itself?
The report of the bureau containing Mr..
Atkins0n's answers has not been received
but the Washington correspondent for the
New York Herald has given the substance
of them which is a valuable contribution to
the current information upon the subject
which is attracting so general attention in
this country.
Mr.. Atkinson says that the accumulated
capital in the United States the census year
of 1880 did not exceed two and half times
the annual product; that the productive ca
per cent. greater to the individual than it was
in 1860; that invention has reduced the capital
and increased the product, advancing wages
and lowering the aggregate cost of labor
that employees are paid better wages and
that their wages will buy more, dollar for
dollar, than they would in 1860. As the re-
suit of an analysis of labor classification Mr.
Atkinson arrives at the conclusion that not
more than 10 per cent. OF all who do the work
of the country y-intellectual, distributiye and
manual-have accumulated an amount OF
property upon the income of which they can
live without personal exertion. But the most
interesting feature of Mr. Atkinson's pres
entation is his comparison OF wages between
1860 and 1886 and the purchasing power OF
wages at the two periods. Mr.. Atkinson first
takes tie mechanics connected with sixty es-
tablishments in which there were few
Dlacksmiths, engineers, carpenters, etc.
The wages of these mechanics have been
singled out and averaged. LIN 1860 their daily
wages per day was S1.5 in gold, and for the
year Of three hundred days S46S. In 1SS0the
daily wages in gold was $2.26, and for the
year S67S. In 1856 the daily wages was
S2.40, and for the year ST20-an increase in
1856 over 1860 Of nearly 56 per cent. The
same treatment is applied to the common la.
bOrers connected with these establishments
by which it appears that their yearly wage,
in 1860 was $303 against $3.50 in 1S85-an in.
crease in 1885 over1S60 of S15 per cent. Mr.
Atkinson finds that the same. quantity Of the
same articles at the average retail prices cos
for single days supply from 30 to 90 cent'
in 1860 and from 80 to 81 cents-pr0bably les:
with further investigation-in 1886.
Putting it another form, one years earn
ings of the first class named in 1860 wOul(
purchase 1872 portions of the standard supI
ply of material for food, clothing, boots, anI
shoes and fuel and more than 24O0 portions o.
the common laborer In 1860 (S303 year. tn,
purchasing power on standard portions o.
food, raiment and fuel was $50, while in the
wages Of 1885 $3.50 a year, the number O.
portions was 1861. These figures show tina
the value of labor measured on the pnrchas
ing power of the money earned has increased
in most striking manner.
So much in regard to the wage-earner.
In regard to the capitalist, Mr.. Atkinson
says that the power Of capital considered a
such, to secure income has been diminished
| 70 per cent. since 1860, yet such has been tn
rapid increase of product that the share o
capitalist measured in dollars is probably a
| large now as twas In 1860, although so mucl
| less in proportion He further states, AM
| his figures warrant 1t, that the wage-earne
who possesses skill and aptitude can proeur
| from so to 100 per cent. more now for his year
work than he eould in 1865, and a more com
mon laborer from 10 to 30 per cent. more.
The capital which would earn 500 in civ
| en- time twenty-five years ago will earn bu
S25 in the same period at the present time
| These facts throughly demolish the hack
/ neyed statement of demagogues ahd agitator
to the effect that 'the rich are growing rich
| er and the poor are growing poorer"
They prove Enthusiastically and coDclusivel
/ that the reverse is true-that capital as sue
is receiving a much less share of the joint n
suits of labor and capital, and that labor
receiving a much larger share.
The depression in business and indus
try of which so much has been said is du
largely, Mr.. Atkinson thinks. to the adjus
ment OF the relations between capital and |;
Dor which has been in progress for som
time. He believes that the complaint aboI
the lack of employment has been greatly e,
| aggeTated, but so far as it is well founded th
chief cause has been a suspension Of speeul;
tive railway building. In 1882 nearly 12,0(
miles were built, while in 1884 less than 40(
miles were laid As it takes about sixty me
| n M n mi nf IA
in construction from 1882 to1SS4 threw near
half a million men out of employment.
Mr.. Atkinson is of the opinion that the il
creased value Of agricultural lands in Il
East has not been accompanied by any incr
ase in the capacity for production. The il
crerse of population has created a great,
demand for those products which cannot !
brought long distance, which has been m
by better cultivation. Diversity of Occup
tion and more intelligent methods of agricu
ture have made industrious farmers bett
of than they ever were before in the Easter
States,